IN BRIEF Meet the new crop of livestock consultants The second class of interns • Bec Clapperton, RCS, Queensland hours and major industry research to complete MLA’s Livestock • Michael Wellington, Bush Agribusiness, projects, to give them a real‑world Consulting Internship program Queensland understanding of the implementation officially graduated from the of research and development. program in June, with 10 interns • Hilary Beech, Holmes Sackett, NSW completing two‑year internships with • Georgia McCarthy, Macquarie Overall, 469 red meat producers were participating livestock consulting Franklin, Tasmania engaged by the interns over the past businesses throughout Australia. two years. • Will Clark‑Dickson, Moses & Consultants of the future Sons, NSW Industry project topics included • Tara Graetz, Rural Directions, SA addressing barriers to producers The Livestock Consulting Internship benchmarking their businesses, program is a partnership between • James Macfarlane, Southern Dirt, WA comparing the difference between long MLA Donor Company (MDC) and • Jess Brogden, Southern Farming and short acting worm control in sheep participating consulting firms, managed Systems, Victoria. flocks, and the impact of body condition by Meridian Agriculture. score and genetics in northern The Livestock Consulting Internship beef herds. The capability building program is program was established to help designed to ensure the continuation address the decline in extension MLA has committed to support round of new livestock consultants for the services offered by public agencies three of the program. ■ private sector to support producer by supporting private consulting decision making, deliver industry businesses overcome the substantial Renelle Jeffrey extension programs and provide skilled financial costs and time required to Producer Consultation and one‑on‑one advice. upskill graduates and, as a result, boost Adoption, MLA Donor Company The 2019 graduates included: the number of new entrants to the E: rjeffrey@mla.com.au • Georgia Reid, AgPro Management, WA livestock consultancy field. Ben Reeve • Jackson Adams, University of As part of the program, interns are Meridian Agriculture Adelaide, SA required to undertake professional E: breeve@meridian-ag.com.au Back row: Will Clark‑Dickson, Jackson Adams, Georgia Reid, Michael Wellington, Georgia McCarthy, Bec Clapperton, and front row: Tara Graetz, Jess Brogden, Hilary Beech, James Macfarlane. 7